Gezicht op de Jan Roodenpoortstoren te Amsterdam 1760 - 1783

Paulus van Liender made this print of the Jan Roodenpoortstoren in Amsterdam sometime in the late 18th century. The tower looms over the houses and canals of the city, evidence of the rise of civic architecture. The image creates meaning through the very Dutch visual codes of calm, order, and industriousness. The Dutch Republic in this period was at its height as a center of global trade, finance, and naval power, and the architecture reflects this success. What makes this image interesting is that it depicts a Lutheran church. In a country that was officially Reformed, the presence of this Lutheran church shows the extent of Dutch religious tolerance. The church is a symbol of religious and social pluralism and the public role of religion in the Dutch Republic. As art historians, it is our job to explore all the archival sources - parish records, local histories, estate papers - that bring the image alive as a symbol of its time.